MBTA to launch $3 million commuter rail 'vision study'

Thursday

Jun 15, 2017 at 1:49 PMJun 15, 2017 at 1:58 PM

Patriot Ledger staff

BOSTON - The MBTA says it will spend $3 million on a 2-year “vision study” to evaluate how its commuter rail service is being used now and how it could be improved to better serve commuters in the future.

The T says the study, which is expected to start this fall, will look at whether the agency is using the right kinds of trains, whether infrastructure upgrades would be needed to expand service and whether some parts of the commuter line rail network should be electrified. It will also include an evaluation of existing commuter line service, which the T says is keeping it from getting more people to ride the trains outside of peak commuting times.

The T says it expects to award a contract for the study project in September. The study is excepted to take 2 to 2.5 years and start shortly after the contract is awarded.

The T will begin soliciting proposals for the project starting Friday.

The MBTA’s commuter rail network, which includes 14 lines with stations in 50 cities and towns, sees about 122,000 daily passengers trips on an average weekday, representing about 9 percent of the agency’s ridership. The commuter rail fleet includes 82 locomotives and 421 coaches.